GOALSTUDIO
FOOTBALL ON TV
BETTING
‘I was so unhappy’ – Lionel Messi opens up on struggles to settle at PSG as he admits he needs to focus on his family
Dominic Booth

Lionel MessiGetty Images
L. Messi
PSG
Transfers
Inter Miami
Lionel Messi has admitted he did not enjoy his two years at Paris Saint-Germain, speaking after confirming his move to Inter Miami.

Messi departs PSG after two years
Has confirmed move to Inter Miami
Barca and Al-Hilal miss out
WHAT HAPPENED? Messi leaves PSG as a free agent after two years, with neither the player or club keen to renew his contract. His time with the French champions ended in a cloud, with Messi suspended internally for going on a trip the club didn’t sanction. He’s since agreed to join MLS club Inter Miami, despite being keen on a return to boyhood club Barcelona.

WHAT THEY SAID: In a wide-ranging interview with Spanish media outlets Mundo Deportivo and Sport, Messi said: “I had two years where I was so unhappy on a personal level that I didn’t enjoy it. I had that month that was spectacular for me because of winning the World Cup, but apart from that, it was a difficult period for me. I want to rediscover joy, enjoy my family, my children, the day-to-day… And that’s why the decision for Barcelona didn’t happen.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Messi and PSG are unlikely to remain on friendly terms after his exit, nor this interview, although Barcelona fans may be cursing the club’s financial situation, which prevented a homecoming to Camp Nou this summer. Messi said he “wanted” to go back to Barca, but couldn’t make it work.